Like this:

You’ve completed your presentation before your client’s group and you’re taking questions. You notice the marketing director’s chin rests upon her thumb, her index finger points upwards, and she has a slight smile.

Is she having positive or negative thoughts?

What does her posture say?

What should you do?

Answers

Most people think this is a signal of interest. It’s not. She’s having negative or critical thoughts about you or your presentation. Even though she has a smile, the negative gestures outweigh the positives.

Leaning away from you with her arm in front of her torso completes the cluster of negative signals that should warn you to do something.

Get her involved immediately. Simply stating, “You seem to have some concerns. Would you mind telling me what you think?” will get her to change her body language and attitude.

Psychologist Dr. Richard Wiseman (Quirkology) did some research into luck. He wanted to find out if some people considered themselves lucky, while others considered themselves unlucky. In one experiment he gave volunteers copies of newspapers and asked them to count the number of photographs in them.

What he didn’t tell them is he had a page printed that said “Win £100 by Telling the Experimenter You Have Seen This.” The unlucky people were so focused on counting the pictures they never saw it. The lucky people were more relaxed and spotted the chance to win £100. Wiseman said it was “a simple demonstration of how lucky people can create their good fortune by making the most of an unexpected opportunity.”

The lesson? Set your goals, but keep your eyes open for the unexpected. The unexpected can happen at any time and will often be more rewarding.